Lloyd, Prince of Ninjago
by LeCinnamonTsundere
Summary: A Ninjago adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark." Lloyd doesn't know what to think. His father, Emperor Sensei Garmadon, has been dead only two months and already his mother, Queen Misako, has remarried: to his uncle, the wicked Emperor Oni Garmadon! His father's death still haunts him . . . was it murder? And what will Lloyd do now? *Halloween 2018 Fic*
1. Ghost Story (Part I)

**Well, I wasn't sure whether I could do this or not, but I set my mind to it, so at least part of this will be done before Halloween.**

 **So, basically, I'm adapting William Shakespeare's _Hamlet_ into the world of Ninjago. Mainly because I was reading it recently, and I couldn't get Sam Vincent's Lloyd voice to stop mentally reading Hamlet's lines. And . . . well . . . you can kinda see where that went.**

 **Since the original English is . . . well . . . difficult to understand sometimes, I've translated it into modern English (thanks to _Shakespeare Made Easy_ ), with some usage of the original language sprinkled throughout. I'll include the characters who appear in the scene at the beginning of each chapter, and if there is language that needs to be explained, I'll include it at the end of the chapter.**

 **That being said, I do recommend that you read _Hamlet_ in the original language at some point - it's really good, if you can learn to grasp it.**

 **And now, enjoy the show.**

* * *

 **Characters (in order of appearance)**

 **Dareth -** Francisco, a member of the King's guard

 **Zane** \- Barnado, a member of the King's guard

 **Jay** \- Marcellus, a member of the King's guard

 **Kai** \- Horatio, a visitor from Jamanakai, friend and schoolmate of Prince Lloyd

* * *

 **Act I: Ghost Story**

 **Scene I**

Night had fallen over the empire of Ninjago. The capital city, which bore the same name as its country, was in a silent, peaceful slumber. In its center towered the Imperial Palace: a gorgeous arrangement of red brick and green tile, gold trimming shining silver in the light of the pale midnight moon.

Armed watchmen patrolled the great wall guarding the Palace, for while the city might sleep in tranquility now, it may have to rise speedily at the first sign of danger.

One of the palace guards, a young man named Dareth, yawned and scrubbed at his eyes. He was tired and earnestly waiting for another soldier to relieve him of this tedious post. However, he started alert as he heard footsteps approaching him.

"Who's there?" a voice, soft and smooth, called out from the shadows of the rampart.

Dareth shifted his stance in an attempt to appear threatening. "No― _you_ tell _me_ first!" he called out, hoping he sounded menacing. "Halt and identify yourself!"

"Long live the Emperor!" came the swift reply.

Dareth squinted as the speaker stepped into the moonlight. "Zane?" He lowered his hands.

"Yes." Zane was another guard, tall and fair-skinned. His icy blue eyes shone clear in the light of the moon, and he ran a hand through his close-cropped blond hair.

Dareth heaved a sigh of relief. "Oh, whew! You're right on the dot."

"Of course I am," Zane responded calmly. "Off to bed with you, Dareth."

"Thanks for relieving me―it's freezing out here." Dareth shuddered and rubbed his arms. "I think I would'a gone crazy if I was out here another minute."

"So it's been an uneventful watch?"

"Haven't seen as much as a swamp rat."

"Well, good night." Zane stepped past the shivering Dareth, holding his weapon of choice: a bow and quiver of arrows, into a guard position. "And if you see Kai and Jay, tell them to hurry." He cast a glance up at the sky.

"I think I can hear them." Dareth thumbed toward the darkness. Sure enough, two more sets of footsteps could be heard coming closer. "Halt!" he called. "Who goes there?"

"Friends―"

"―and loyal subjects of the Emperor of Ninjago!" Dareth and Zane recognized the voices to belong to Kai, a friend of the Emperor's son, and Jay, another member of the Royal Guard.

"Well, good night to you, then." With another yawn, Dareth shuffled to the staircase heading down into the palace courtyard.

"And good night to you, soldier!" Kai called after him. "Who relieved you?"

"Zane―good guy." With that, Dareth disappeared down the stairs.

Once Dareth had gone, Jay, a handsome youth with a thick crop of auburn curls and bright blue eyes who wielded a set of nunchuks, called out to the blond guard. "Hey, Zane!"

"Hello, Jay!" Zane called back. "Is Kai with you?"

"Some of him!" Kai laughed, extending his hand to the guard. He too bore looks as fine as those of his companions: fiery amber eyes and thick, spiked brown hair. A pair of katana swords were strapped to his back.

Zane nodded, smiling politely as he shook Kai's hand. "Welcome, Kai―welcome, Jay."

After the greetings had been exchanged, Kai inquired dryly. "Well, has your fabled _thing_ appeared again tonight?"

"I haven't seen anything," Zane replied, eyebrows knitting into a frown.

Jay sighed. "Kai thinks it's just our imaginations and still won't believe me―even though we've seen it twice." He shuddered. "Brr, just thinking about it gives me the creeps. But that's why I've got him on our watch tonight: so if that ghost comes again tonight, we can prove that we haven't been seeing things." He shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe he can talk to it."

Kai rolled his eyes. "Really, Jay," he said scornfully, "whatever it is won't appear again."

Zane sighed. "Sit down, and even though you've insisted that you don't believe us, I'll tell you again what Jay and I saw."

Another eye-roll from the brunet. "All right, fine." The three settled themselves on the rampart, and Zane began his story.

"Last night, when the star that's to the west of the North Star had moved to where it's shining now―" he pointed upwards into the night sky, and following his finger, Kai could see the star he spoke of "―Jay and myself, when the bell struck one―"

He was interrupted by a yelp. Jay's face had gone white as death, and he pointed a quivering nunchuk handle at something behind them. " _Shh!_ There it is again!"

Zane and Kai whirled around; Zane gasped and Kai's blood froze cold in his veins.

Standing behind them was a figure, ashen and wispy, like shreds of smoke twisted into a human form. He was tall and regal, with a well-chiseled face and thick gray hair; his pale eyes just barely shining with a greenish tint. His transparent clothing showed signs of once having been fine―he was robed in the armor belonging to a great ruler―but they were ragged and battered, with traces of blood still staining the cloth and metal.

"And as before, he looks like the dead Emperor!" Zane whispered, eyes fixed on the figure in a half-terrified, half-fascinated stare. "Doesn't he, Kai?"

"Yes, he does," Kai murmured. He was in a state of disbelief. _They actually had been telling the truth_ , he thought, blinking and getting a shock to see the spectral shape still standing before them. "It sends chills down my spine. . ."

The figure turned his face towards Kai, his hollow green eyes narrowed into a scowl. "I think it wants to be spoken to," Zane murmured nervously.

Jay nudged Kai forward. "Go on, ask it something!" he hissed.

The brunet stood to his feet, keeping a hand on the hilt of one of his swords. "Who are you to intrude upon us at this time of night, dressed in the armor of the late Emperor?" His voice came out timidly at first, but strengthened as he went on. "Speak!"

The ghost did not reply, only meeting his eyes with that terrifying glare. Then, wordlessly, he turned and began to stalk away. "I think you offended it," Jay mumbled, anxious.

"Stop!" Kai shouted after it. "Speak! Speak! I charge thee to speak!"

But the ghost had already vanished from sight. "Well, there it goes―it's gone and it won't answer." Jay sighed.

Zane turned back to Kai, who had abruptly sat back down. "Well, Kai? Your pale countenance and trembling state suggest that like we told you, this is something more than mere imagination. What do you think of it now?"

"As the First Spinjitzu Master's my witness, I wouldn't have believed it unless I had seen it with my own eyes," Kai breathed, pressing a damp palm to his forehead.

"And didn't it look _exactly_ like the Emperor?" Jay added, still quivering with fear.

"As much as you look like yourself," the brunet replied. "I swear he was clad in that exact same suit of armor when he fought old Karlof of Metalonia. He wore that same scowl when he defeated the Djinnjagonian army." A sharp wind bristled past him, though it was not the cold that made him shiver. "It's frightening."

"He has done this twice before," Jay wrapped his cloak tighter around his shoulders, "at this precise time. He passed us on our watch, walking with the Emperor's military gait."

"I don't know what to make of it," Kai raked his hands through his hair, "except that it means our world's in some sort of unnatural disorder."

"We don't need a ghost to tell us that," Jay muttered. "But speaking of disorder, can someone _please_ tell me why on earth we abruptly have this strict of guard duty every night? Why we've been manufacturing so many cannons and gaining so many arms? Why every shipwright in the city is being drafted to seven-day weeks without rest? What's the threat that brought about this increased, round-the-clock activity?"

"I can explain, at least what's been rumored." Kai breathed deeply, attempting to settle his agitated nerves. "You remember that our former Emperor, Sensei Garmadon―"

"―who showed up as a ghost tonight, I know," Jay nodded.

"―was dared to single combat by Karlof of Metalonia," Kai continued. "When the Emperor killed Karlof, his death forfeited all of his lands to him. But his son, young Karlof, has recruited Metalonian mercenaries in an attempt to probably try and reconquer the lands his father lost. That's my best guess as to the sudden increase in security: it's in preparation for possible war."

"It makes sense," Zane mused thoughtfully. "The spectre appeared to us clad in armor, and in the form of our previous Emperor, who was, and still is, the central issue of this impending war."

Kai's nerves tensed again as another thought came to him. "In the golden days of the Roman Empire, just before the assassination of Julius Caesar, graves flew open and shrouded corpses haunted the streets of Rome and terrified its citizens with their demented screams. Comets with tails of fire red as blood shot from the sun, and the moon was almost completely extinguished. Warnings like this, predicting dire catastrophe, have been delivered to our country before. . ." He trailed off, abruptly rising to his feet. Startled, Jay and Zane joined him, drawing their weapons defensively. "Shh!" He placed a finger to his lips. "There it is again."

Indeed, the ghost of Emperor Sensei Garmadon stood before them, once more fixing the trio with that fierce, haunting scowl. "I'll cross it, though it blast me," Kai muttered.

The ghost spread his arms wide, but Kai drew his swords, pointing one at the spectre's chest. "Stay, illusion!" he shouted boldly. "If you can talk, speak to me!"

The ghost made no reply. "If there's some good deed you'd like done that might bring peace to you and grace to me, speak!"

Still no response. "If you know of a trouble that may befall your country, but can still yet be avoided, speak!"

A third frustrating silence. Kai scowled. "Maybe you're forced from death's rest because you've hidden ill-gotten treasure during your lifetime! If you have, tell me! Stay and speak!"

Finally, the ghost lowered his arms. Kai waited eagerly for an answer. But just then, the sound of a rooster crowing broke the quiet - dawn was fast approaching. As the crow faded away, the ghost turned to depart from them again. "Stop it, Jay!" Kai yelled, more frantic than ever to get a response. "Strike it if it won't stay!"

Jay moved forward to swipe at the shade with his nunchuks, but it was already beginning to fade with the light of the coming sun. "It's over here!" Zane called, pointing to one side of the wall.

"No, it's over there!" Kai pointed to the other side. But by now, the ghost had long gone.

Jay heaved a frustrated sigh. "It's not like I could have done anything by hitting it - it's like the air, we can't harm it. All we've done is scare it off."

"It was about to speak when that rooster crowed." Zane muttered a curse against the bird.

"And when it did, it was startled by it, like someone guilty responding to a challenge." Kai's brows knit into a frown. "I suppose the legends are true, then: when the rooster crows, it both wakens the god of the sun and warns the wayward spirit to return home. I didn't believe them before, but the ghost proved it."

"Then maybe the legend of the rooster crowing during the Christmas season is true too," Jay mused. "Supposedly the rooster crows all nights leading up to Christmas, so absolutely nothing evil or unnatural can be done during that time: keeping it sacred."

"So I've heard, and I'd believe that now." Kai looked up over the wall. "But the sun is rising quickly." He pointed to the east, where the rosy fingers of dawn were slowly creeping up over the city and the green land surrounding it. "I think we should tell Prince Lloyd what we've seen here tonight. I'd bet anything that if the ghost will speak to him, even if it won't to us."

Jay and Zane nodded in agreement. "I know where we can find him this morning," Jay added. "Let's go!"

With that, the three young men, sheathing their weapons, ran down the staircase into the courtyard and towards the Palace.


	2. Ghost Story (Part II)

**Well. I actually update something at a decent rate. That's a first. Well, seeing as how I'm hoping to get to at least Act 1, Scene 3 before Halloween night, I guess I'm trying to pick up the pace.**

 **Special thanks to everyone who reviewed and added the story to their favorite and alert lists - your support really does mean a lot to me :)**

 **Forewarned, this has a lot of lengthy and sometimes complicated dialogue, and quite possibly some mild swearing (due to the context of some of the dialogue, sometimes I can't change the uses of "God" into "First Spinjitzu Master"). That doesn't mean I'm changing my "no profanity or obscenity" policy; this particular story just forces me to have to use it sometimes. If you notice a little "*" hiding somewhere in the text, that means there's a note for it at the end.**

 **Now, without further ado: Lloyd, Prince of Ninjago, Act I: Scene II. Enjoy the show.**

* * *

 **Characters (in order of appearance)**

 **Emperor Oni Garmadon** \- King Claudius, emperor of Ninjago

 **Empress Misako** \- Queen Gertrude, empress of Ninjago

 **Hutchins** \- Polonius, member of the emperor's counsel

 **Cole** \- Laertes, son of Hutchins

 **Lloyd** \- Hamlet, prince of Ninjago

 **Master E** and **Killow** \- Cornelius and Voltemand, respectively; servants of the emperor

 **Kai, Jay,** and **Zane** \- Horatio, Marcellus, and Barnardo

* * *

 **Scene II**

We now run ahead of our three young men into the Imperial Palace throne room, where Emperor Oni Garmadon has called a council to discuss the selfsame matter the guards had been previously discussing: the threat of war with Metalonia.

The newly appointed ruler was certainly . . . a change from his brother. While Sensei's complexion had been fair, Oni's skin was scorched black as pitch. His tangled dark hair was hidden under an obsidian steel hornéd warlord's helmet, which shadowed his misshapen face. He had a rather demonic appearance, with blood red eyes, dragon's whiskers, and a mouth full of ivory fangs. The only color in his sable robes were touches of purple trimming and white embroidery that was nearly swallowed up in the darkness of his clothing.

And yet, despite all this, Empress Misako, who had only lost her husband seven mere weeks before, had eagerly consented to Oni's proposal of marriage. She sat at his right hand now, clad in her royal green robes and wearing her gray hair back in an elegant braid.

Among the nobles and advisors seated around the meeting table were an aged councilor of state, one Master Hutchins, and his youthful son Cole. Hutchins was robed in the same green and gold as the Empress; a short gray beard lined his aged face, and one of his piercing gray eyes was hidden underneath an eyepatch. Cole, dressed in garments of brown, black, and orange, was a muscular youth with thick dark hair and bold brown eyes. Both men bore a serious countenance.

Sitting off to the right of Empress Misako was a second young man, quietly observing the council with a pair of soulful emerald eyes. He was the son of the Empress and Emperor Sensei Garmadon: Prince Lloyd. He was a handsome youth, with a lithe, fair figure and thick windswept blond hair. Upon glancing in his direction, the courtiers would murmur that the young prince was the spitting image of his father, First Spinjitzu Master protect his soul.

But unlike the courtiers, who wore fine robes of bright hues, mostly green and gold, he was still dressed in the black of mourning. He seemed to be the only one who remembered that his father had died two months ago. Even his mother, who had been so faithful to him, seemed to have completely abandoned his memory, forsaking his wedding ring for one from his incestuous brother*. The thought of his beloved mother married to a man as conniving as his uncle made Lloyd's stomach turn, but he had trained himself to swallow his revulsion and disguise it under the cover of a silent sullenness.

Now, having observed the members of the council whose name we would be wise to remember, we turn our ear to what Emperor Garmadon has to say to his court. . .

* * *

"Though the death of Sensei, our . . . _dear_ brother, is still a memory fresh in our minds," Garmadon made only a slight effort to sound doleful, "and though we rightly mourned for him, with the entire empire sharing a common grief - nevertheless, common sense has overcome our natural feelings to the extent that we sorrow for him level-headedly, remembering at the same time our own interests and responsibilities." He feigned flicking an unhappy tear from his red eye. "Therefore, we have married our former sister-in-law, who is now our Empress and joint ruler of our warring empire." He smirked as he placed a hand over Misako's, who returned his smile.

"We did so with, as it were, a downhearted sort of happiness," he assured the court, "with one eye cheerful, the other sad: bringing joy to the funeral, and sorrow to the marriage; delight and misery were equally balanced. Nor have we disregarded your wise counsel; it has been fully supportive and freely given, and we thank you for it."

Soft, modest murmurs responded to Garmadon's statement, which were swiftly hushed by the Emperor clearing his throat. "Next, something you already know," he continued briskly. "Young Karlof, holding us in low esteem - or thinking our empire is disordered and disorganized because of our _dear_ brother's death - in furtherance of his ambitious dreams, has not failed to pester us with demands that we surrender the lands which his father lost, all quite legally, I might add, to our most _valiant_ brother."

Lloyd scowled at the flattering tone with which his uncle spoke his father's name. _You hardly thought Father was valiant, you two-faced serpent_ , he thought, folding his arms tighter across his chest.

"So much for the deeds of Karlof," Garmadon said scornfully. "As for our own response, and the reason for summoning this meeting, this is how our state is now."

Reaching under the table, he produced a sealed letter. "We have written to the Lord of Metalonia, young Karlof's uncle - who, powerless and bedridden, hardly knows of his nephew's intentions - to stop him from proceeding further, because the conscripts, the regulars, and all the military forces consist entirely of his subjects. We here send you, Master E―" indicating a mute man clad in black and red "―and you, Killow―" a burly man dressed in orange and gray "―as the bearers of this greeting to the old Lord of Metalonia, though you have no further personal powers to negotiate with him beyond what is described in these terms of reference." He handed the two officials the document. "Take this to him swiftly."

The two rose and bowed. "In that, as in all things, we will do our duty," Killow responded.

"Of that, I have no doubt," Garmadon replied. "Now go."

Bowing again, the two men hurriedly made their exit. Now that that matter had been settled, the Emperor turned his attention to the young man Cole, who had spoken to him prior that he wished to make a request of him. "Now, young Cole, what is your request? You cannot ask anything reasonable of the Emperor of Ninjago and not waste your breath. What would you plead, Cole, that I will not freely grant you without your asking? The head could not be more closely related to the heart, nor the mouth more indebted to the hand, than the throne of Ninjago is to your father. What is your wish, Cole?"

"My lord Garmadon, I ask for your leave and permission to return to Jamanakai," Cole replied. "Though I came willingly to Ninjago to show my loyalty at your coronation, I admit now that my thoughts and desires belong to Jamanakai again, though they are, of course, subject to your gracious indulgence and consent." He had dutifully practiced this speech for days now, hoping that it would win him his Emperor's favor, though personally, he liked him not.

Garmadon pondered the request for a moment. "Have you your father's permission?" He turned his gaze to the advisor seated next to his son. "What say you, Hutchins?"

Hutchins sighed wearily. "He has, my lord, extracted from me my grudging consent through persistent pleading. In the end, I reluctantly endorsed his wishes. I beseech you to give him leave to go."

This also Garmadon considered momentarily. Then he smiled at Cole. "Enjoy yourself while you are young, Cole; have your time and use your talents as you will."

"Thank you, my lord." Cole bowed gratefully to the Emperor.

Finally, Garmadon turned to Lloyd, who had remained silent, wrapped in his own thoughts, for the duration of the council. "But now, my nephew Lloyd, and my son―"

"Closely related in one sense," Lloyd muttered, "but not so in another. . ."

"―why are you still under a cloud?"

"Not so, my lord; I'm suffering from too much sun," the young man responded coolly. His choice of phrasing was no accident.

"Dear Lloyd: throw off your black mood, and look upon the Emperor with a more friendly eye," Misako pleaded. "Don't go around forever with downcast eyes, as if you were searching for your father in the dust. You know that death is normal everything that lives must die, passing through life to eternity."

"Yes, my lady, it's normal," was Lloyd's bland response.

"Then why does it seem so unusual in your case?" asked the bemused Empress.

" _Seem?_ " Lloyd repeated, frowning. "No. It _is_. Why do you use the word 'seem'? It's not just my dark mood, Mother, or my traditional mourning clothes―" he gestured to his plain black robes "―or my heavy sighs - nor is it a flood of tears, miserable looks, and every other form of grief - that can truly express my feelings. These do indeed _seem_ , because these are things men can pretend." He cast a meaningful look at Garmadon as he said this. "But I have a grief within me beyond ceremonial pretense. Those other things are only the trimmings and formalities of mourning."

The Emperor didn't seem to notice his nephew's pointed glance. "It's sweet and commendable of you to mourn your father in this dutiful way, Lloyd," he said sympathetically, "but you must remember that your father lost a father; that lost father, in turn, lost his; and the survivor, the son, was duty-bound to mourn his father deeply."

 _They still don't understand_ , Lloyd thought, scowl deepening as Garmadon continued. "But to persist in obstinate grieving is a stubborn, impious act. It shows a willful disrespect to heaven; a weakness of will; an impatient mind; an ignorant untrained intellect. Why should we, in our foolish perversity, take to heart what we know to be inevitable, and the most obvious thing there is?" He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Fie, 'tis an offense against heaven, an offense to the dead, an offense to the natural order of things; an absurd contradiction to reason! To nature, the death of fathers is a common theme, who has been declared from the first to die till the one who passed away today, 'This must be so!'"

Kneeling down to the young man's level, Oni massaged Lloyd's hands between his own. "We beg you to bury your purposeless grief and to think of us as you would a father," he said, flashing his pointed teeth in what Lloyd guessed was his attempt at a paternal smile. "Let the world take note: you are next in succession to the throne and a love no less profound than that which a devoted father bears towards his son, do I impart towards you."

He released his hands, folding them behind his back and standing up straight. "As for your intention of returning to Wu's University," his tone became all business, "it is most retrograde to our desire. We entreat you to remain here, in the cheer and comfort of our royal presence, as our highest courtier, our kinsman, and our son."

"Let not thy mother's prayers be in vain, Lloyd," Misako begged. "I pray thee stay with us, go not to Wu's."

Lloyd inclined his head respectfully. "I shall in all my best obey you, my lady."

"'Tis a loving and courteous reply," said Oni approvingly. "Embrace your royalty in Ninjago." He took Misako's arm. "Come, my lady: Lloyd's gentle and unforced consent cheers my heart. To celebrate, I'll drink no health today without firing a mighty cannon round to inform the clouds; and the heavens will proclaim the Emperor's toast again, re-echoing the thunder from the earth below. Come, let's away."

The Emperor and Empress, followed by the other courtiers, departed; their exit was heralded by a great fanfare of trumpets.

* * *

As the flourish died away, Lloyd was left by himself. He finally rose from his chair, pacing the empty room restlessly. "If only my too solid flesh would melt, thaw, and dissolve into dew, or that the Almighty had not forbidden suicide!" he cried out in frustration. "Oh, God, _God!_ "

His breath escaped him in a heavy sigh. "How weary, stale, flat, and purposeless everything on this earth seems to be! Fie on it! It's a neglected garden that's gone to seed; it's overwhelmed with repulsive weeds.

"That it should come to _this!_ " His voice was dripping with undisguised disgust. "Only _two_ months dead - no, not so much, not two! So excellent an Emperor! To him―" he shot a glare in the direction his uncle had departed "―he was as the sun god to a satyr. He was so loving to my mother that he wouldn't even let the wind blow too roughly on her face."

He raked his hands through his thick blond locks. "Heaven and earth, must I remember?! Why, she would cling to him as if she had an insatiable appetite for him! And yet, in less than a month. . ." He muttered an unintelligible curse under his breath. ". . .I mustn't think about it. Frailty, thy name is woman! A mere _month_ : even before the shoes were old in which she followed my poor father's body in inconsolable tears like Niobe - why, she, _she_ of all women!"

He broke off distractedly. "Oh, _God!_ " he cried out. "A brainless _beast_ would have mourned longer! She married my _uncle_! My father's brother, but no more like my father than I am to Hercules! Within a month, before the salt of those unrighteous tears ceased to flow from her red eyes, she _married!_ Oh, with such speed, she married! To leap so nimbly into an incestucous bed! It's not right, and no good can come of it!"

He forced himself to level his ragged breathing, placing a hand to his fast-beating heart and taking in steady breaths. "But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue."

As the prince's grieving rant came to a close, Kai, Jay, and Zane dashed into the room. Upon seeing Lloyd, they hastily slowed their pace and respectfully approached him. "Hail to your lordship," Kai greeted him first.

"I'm glad to see you well," Lloyd responded absently, not yet turning to see the speaker. But as the voice sunk into his brain, he realized who it was. His mood brightened considerably, and he looked up to returned his greeting. "Kai, if I'm not mistaken?"

"Of course, my prince; and your humble servant ever," Kai replied with a sweeping bow.

"My good friend, and your servant as well." Lloyd embraced him warmly, a smile lifting the corners of his mouth for the first time all day. As they pulled from the hug, Lloyd noticed the two guards standing behind him. "Jay!"

The auburnet bowed respectfully. "My prince."

"I'm glad to see you again," Lloyd smiled. "And you as well, Zane." Then the prince turned back to Kai. "But what are you doing away from Wu's, Kai?"

Kai grinned mischievously. "A tendency to truancy, my friend," he replied, tapping the side of his nose knowingly.

Lloyd laughed softly. "I wouldn't hear that from your enemy - so I won't offend my ears by hearing you speak so ill of yourself. I know you aren't a truant. What's your business in Ninjago City?"

Kai's smile faded slightly. "I came to see your father's funeral."

At this, Lloyd's cheerful demeanor melted. "Don't tease me, Kai," he chided quietly. "I think it was to see my mother's wedding."

The brunet shuffled his feet, embarrassed. "It took place rather quickly afterwards," he admitted, running a hand through his hair.

"Thrift, thrift, Kai," Lloyd sighed in a sing-song manner. "The leftover meat from the funeral was served up cold for the wedding breakfast." He pressed a hand to his forehead. "Would that I'd met my worst enemy in heaven rather than I'd seen that day." He gazed off into space. "My father . . . I think I can see my father. . ."

The three young men exchanged puzzled glances. "Where, Lloyd?" asked the startled Kai.

Lloyd tapped the side of his head. "In my mind's eye, Kai."

"Ah." The brunet nodded. "I saw him once. He was a fine Emperor."

"He was a man altogether perfect," the prince sighed. "I shall not look upon his like again."

Kai looked subtly back at Jay and Zane. Well, now was the best time to tell him as any. . . "Lloyd . . . I think I saw him last night," he said slowly.

"Saw who?" Lloyd asked, perplexed.

"Your father, the Emperor, my lord."

At this, Lloyd's green eyes went wide. "My father the Emperor?! For the love of the First Spinjitzu Master, if you've seen him, tell me!"

Kai nodded. "Two nights in a row, in the middle of the night, Jay and Zane, while on their watch, encountered a figure like your father, dressed in his armor. He appeared before them and walked past them, as close to them as the length of his staff. They were so scared they couldn't say anything to it, but they told me what they saw in secret, and I saw the same sight on the third night; it happened exactly as they told me it would. But I recognized your father's face in that of the ghost: my hands are not more similar." He spread his hands to demonstrate.

Lloyd was struck speechless for a moment. _They saw my father?_ he thought, pressing a hand to his forehead again. "W-where was this?" he asked weakly.

"On the battlement where we were stationed, my lord," Jay spoke up.

"Did you speak to it?"

"I did," Kai answered, "but it didn't reply. However, once I thought it raised its head as if to speak, but just then, the morning rooster crowed, and it shrank away at the sound of it, hastily vanishing from our sight."

Lloyd made a sound of distress and stumbled backwards. Kai quickly helped him back into a chair; the prince seemed to be in a state of numb shock. "It's very strange," he muttered, massaging his temples as he tried to recover.

"Yes, my lord," Kai murmured, stepping back with Jay and Zane. "We thought it was our duty to let you know of it."

"Of course, and I thank you for it." Lloyd sat up straighter, his brow knit into a concerned frown. "But it worries me." He steepled his fingers pensively. "Are you on watch again tonight?"

"We are, my lord," the trio chorused.

Lloyd was silent for a moment. "Did you say it was armed?"

The three nodded. "From top to toe?"

"From head to toe, my lord," was the collective reply.

Lloyd's light brown brows furrowed deeper. "Then you didn't see his face?"

"We did, my lord," Kai spoke up. "His mouth visor was down."

"How did he look?" The prince got up from his chair, pacing in small, repetitive circles. "Fiercely, like a warrior?"

"His expression was more sorrowful than angry," said Kai.

"Pale or red?"

"Very pale."

"And he looked hard at you?"

"The entire time."

Lloyd sighed. "I wish I'd been there."

"It would have astounded you," Kai agreed quietly.

"Most likely. Did it stay long?"

"While you could count to a hundred reasonably quickly."

"Longer than that, definitely," Jay and Zane corrected him.

"Not when I saw it," Kai countered.

"His beard was streaked with gray?" Lloyd inquired.

"He was cleanshaven, as he was when I saw him in life," Kai replied.

The prince seemed satisfied now. "I will go with you tonight to watch," he said resolutely. "Perhaps it will walk again."

"I'm sure it will," Kai assured him.

Lloyd's emerald eyes shone with a new determination - gone, for now, was the grief and rage that had clouded them before. "If it comes looking like my noble father, I'll speak to it even if the Cursed Realm itself should open wide and bid me hold my peace!" He turned back to his friends. "I would ask you all, if you have kept this sighting secret up till now, to continue to say nothing about it. And whatever else should happen tonight, take it all in, but do not report it. I shall repay your loyalty." He inclined his head to them. "So, fare you well. I'll visit you on the wall 'twixt eleven and twelve."

"Our duty to your honor, my prince." The three saluted to him and bowed.

"Your loves, as mine to you." He returned the salute. "Farewell."

As the three young men exited, Lloyd clasped a fist to his heart. "The spirit of my father - in armor! All is not well." His frown deepened into a scowl, and a hint of the old anger flared up again in his green irises. "I suspect foul play. I wish it were evening. Till then, be patient, my soul. Evil deeds will surface, however deeply they are buried."

With that, he turned and left the throne room.

* * *

 ***Back in Shakespeare/Hamlet's times, marrying your brother's wife/husband's brother after his death was considered incest. And if you know me, you know I definitely don't write that stuff :P But as it is an adaptation of a classic play, and this no longer falls under the modern definition of incest, my conscience is clear to write this.**


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